Bonnie Tyler has revealed how she was chosen to represent the UK at this
year's Eurovision Song Contest, and spoken about coming last in the
competition.

Bonnie Tyler will take to the Eurovision Song Contest stage in Malmö, Sweden, next weekend to represent the UK. However, although Tyler appears wary of how her performance will be received, she says she doesn't care if she wins.

In an interview with The Telegraph, 61-year-old Tyler described herself as a "Welsh lamb to the slaughter" ahead of the annual competition, now in its 58th year. The UK has had a tough few years in Eurovision, infamously failing to gain a single vote from another country in 2003 after duo Jemini sung Cry Baby.

However, while Tyler admits "it wouldn't be very nice to come last" in the contest, she said: "I don't care if I win".

The Welsh singer, famous for Eighties hits such as Total Eclipse of the Heart, will be entering the contest with Believe In Me, a song recorded in Nashville which is taken from her new album, Celtic Swan, which was released on Monday.

For the second year running, the BBC adopted a Papal-conclave approach to choosing Britain's Eurovision representative, rather than putting it to a popular vote, and simply announced – in March – it had picked Tyler.

No further details about the selection process were forthcoming at the time, but Tyler revealed that she was chosen after an un-named executive at the BBC heard an advanced copy of Celtic Swan.

She said: "Someone who had something to do with the Eurovision heard the album and picked Believe In Me and came to my house and asked would I do the Eurovision song contest. It was a bit of a shock."

The executive also suggester to Tyler that she could put back the release date of the album – originally October last year – to coincide with the Eurovision final.

It's not the first time Tyler has been asked to represent the UK. She was approached in 1983, when she had number one singles at home and in America, but she declined. However, she explains why she changed her mind this time round: "It’s a bit political but let’s be realistic, 120 million people watch the Eurovision, I’ve got a FANTASTIC new album coming out, somebody at the BBC likes it… and I’m going to say no?"

The star added that the "music business has changed out of all recognition" and she was being "realistic" entering the competition.

The Eurovision Song Contest will be aired on BBC One at 8pm next Saturday 18 May.